Liva can prove too hot at Musselburgh
Liva is likely to be a hot favourite for the feature race at Musselburgh today.
He had a busy 2018 on the Flat for Eve Johnson Houghton and, now with Donald Mccain, he faces five rivals in the £20,000 Enjoy The Jumps On Racing UK Introductory Juvenile Hurdle.
The Cheshire raider carries the same Simon Munir and Issac Souede colours as Border National runner-up Calett Mad and was second on his jumps bow at Catterick 11 days ago.
His opposition includes Ian Williams’ hurdles newcomer Paddy The Chef, whose sole win on the level came at Nottingham in July, and Jim Goldie-trained Sarvi, the winner of a fillies handicap at Ayr’s Gold Cup festival in September for owner Jimmy Fyffe.
Court Liability is a rare runner at the East Lothian venue for Harry Whittington in the Best Jumps Action On Racing UK Handicap Hurdle.
Sparsholt-based Whittington, four runners without success so far in his career at Musselburgh, has a good chance with Court Liability who won three on the trot for his trainer last autumn.
Meeanwhile, Charlie D has yet to win beyond a mile and a half but is worth another try at a longer trip in the Betway Stayers Handicap at Wolverhampton, writes Glendale.
The three-year-old seems to really appreciate the challenge of the Tapeta surface at Dunstall Park, having won two of his five outings at the track, with both victories coming
over 12 furlongs. He definitely hits the groove at Wolverhampton, as shown when he won his second start there
at 100/1, and has been placed on all his other outings at the course, too – most recently when third last week.
Charlie D had to come from behind that day – but the way he stayed on suggests this step up to a mile and six furlongs could be up his street now after narrowly failing over the distance earlier in the year.
Shamshon recently got back on the winning trail and can make it back-to-back victories in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap.
A Listed winner in his juvenile days, Shamshon is now a seven-year-old with a rating of 75 compared to his lofty heights of 106 a few years ago.
Nevertheless he remains capable on his day and, after scoring at Newmarket in July, he returned to the winner’s enclosure again when dropped slightly in grade last time out. Shamshon finished with a flourish and is worth another shot back in this slightly better company.
John Gosden’s She’s Got You showed up well on her debut when finishing fourth of 14 and should know more in the first division of this afternoon’s Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Fillies’ Novices’ Stakes. The daughter of Kingman is a half-sister to Without Parole, who sports the same colours, and it will be somewhat disappointing if she fails to get off the mark at the second time of asking.